Conventional neon tube lighting systems are well-known in the prior art. Such systems typically include a plurality of neon tubes. The end of each neon tube is normally bent back and encompasses an electrode connected by a wire to an electrically-conductive metal cap. The cap may have a wire protruding from its end face for connection to either an exciting transformer or to the cap of an adjacent tube when two tubes are aligned in an endwise fashion.
It is also known in the art to provide electrical connectors for neon tubes supported in an end-to-end fashion. Examples of such connectors are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,817,543, 2,175,155, 2,238,589 and 4,947,301. U.S. Pat. No. 2,238,589 to Hensler, for example, discloses one such connector having a pair of tubular sections each including a closed outer end and telescopically engaged inner ends axially interfitted one within the other. A spring like electrical connector element is used to connect the ends of adjacent tubes. A similar system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,175,155 to Miller, which teaches a jumper connector comprising a pair of hook ends disposed in confronting relation. Each hook end has a tubular stem and the stems are adapted to interfit with respect to each other to form a telescoping structure. A coiled wire provides the electrical connection.
The above-described prior art connectors do not provide secure electrical and mechanical connection between endwise-supported neon tubes. These devices are also difficult to use without damaging the fragile neon tubes. Moreover, many of these electrical connectors, such as those shown in the Miller and Hensler patents, require supplemental support structures.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved end-to-end electrical connector for neon tubing that overcomes these and other problems associated with the prior art.